04.21.14

In the wake of Jim Helwig aka The Ultimate Warrior’s passing two weeks ago, 538.com’s Benjamin Morris considers the mortality rate for professional wrestlers, taking a Mushnick-with-a-calculator approach that reveals, well, yeah, it’s a deadly business. No heavy research, however, is required to conclude Wrestlemania VI (dead participants in red) was a showcase for those destined to perish too soon :

Writes Morris, “I don’t want to speculate as to the cause of this phenomenon, though a number of theories in varying shades of sinister spring to mind. But it saddens me to think that my 13-year old self was so thoroughly entertained by watching ghosts.” Doubtful that in 1990, Morris could’ve predicted Jake Roberts would outlive Juanita Wright, but either way, we’re watching plenty of ghosts on NFL Sundays, too.